Archive By Section - Local Life

Barton County 4-H members in the archery and small bore rifle participated in shooting sports events at the state level to finish up the 4-H year. For the second year in a row, Sam McGinnis placed first overall in the Bowhunter archery class in the senior division and will get an invitation to shoot at National. Colton McPherson placed first as a junior in Barebow in FITA and second in 3D with a second place overall finish.

Before we turn the calendar to November, I am reminded that October is recognized as Indoor Air Quality Awareness month. Back in August I attended an update about mold and mildew in the home and I came back quite excited. I know you are thinking I must be crazy to get excited about mold and mildew. However, the information presented that day has prompted me to spend some time this month reminding families just how important it is to breathe clean air.

When it comes to spooky Halloween tales, sometimes the real life ones can be scarier than any fiction! In the spirit of the season, let's take a look at some of the real life monsters creeping into our state – invasive species!

Nearly every day a first impression is made by someone we come in contact with. The past couple of weeks have provided several of those experiences with me. After participating in a professional development conference in Big Sky, Mont., my husband John, and I, began a tour of the great Northwest. Of course, we took our tandem bike along with a goal of riding it in every state we would pass through. The river trail in Lewiston, Idaho, provided breathtaking scenery. Other beautiful spots gave me photo ops as we followed a western route down the coast, and into the ...

Fall is a busy time of year at the wetlands of Central Kansas. Waves of birds migrate through the area, being pushed in by each weather front that comes through. Regular users of Cheyenne Bottoms wait in anticipation of each new wave of birds coming to the area. In particular, hunters are eager to see large flocks of ducks and geese careening through the wetlands as temperatures begin to drop.

The fall migration is upon us! Teal season was a bit sparse since not very many showed up. It was still warm up north, and the migration hadn't really started. It is cooling down now, so the birds will be coming through with enthusiasm in short order.

Hectic work schedule? Busy with after-school activities? Do outside influences interfere with your family's dinnertime? Mark Monday, Sept. 26, on your calendar and get ready to celebrate Family Day. For the past twelve years the fourth Monday of September has been noted as Family Day, a national effort to promote family dinners as an effective way to reduce youth substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University consistently finds that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or ...

Our family recently lost my sister-in-law Mattie. Because I was born so late in my parents' lives, my brothers were married with children before I came along, so Mattie has always been part of my life. She was in the family before I was.

Barton County 4-H members placed with high ratings at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. In order to advance to the state fair, 4-H members must qualify at the county fair or in some cases in a district contest. In some contests only one member is allowed to represent Barton County and in some divisions all qualifying exhibits are allowed to enter.

When I moved back to the Great Bend area (I'm a Claflin kid) in 2011 after living in metro areas for six years, I experienced a bit of culture shock. The rural area pace was enjoyable and the people were friendly, but much was left to be desired in terms of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, avenues for social engagement with other young people and young families, and it was hard to know how to get involved and plugged in from a civic engagement standpoint, even having grown up in the area. Barton County Young Professionals changed that in what ...

Almost daily the news shares accounts of fraud being committed. From identity theft to scams that target our older population there are some very convincing con artists out there. Don't let your guard down or you may be the next victim.

Continuing the Food Safety theme I started in last weeks' column I want to address a question I receive when the power goes off. "Can the food in my refrigerator and freezer be saved?" Here are some great tips to tuck in a drawer if you need them someday.